In 2023, the College hosted numerous engagement opportunities, revised several practice standards, and introduced a new practice standard and interim guidance document. The College appreciates the robust feedback and insight provided from all who participated throughout the practice standard development processes.
Engagement opportunities
Consent to Treatment
In January and February 2023, the College held a second consultation on its Consent to Treatment practice standard with registrants and other providers who work with patients who often face barriers in the consent process to gain a perspective on equity considerations. The College received feedback on a second draft of the practice standard which incorporated changes from the first round of engagement, held in 2022.
Care Coverage Outside Regular Office Hours
In April 2023, the College sought feedback on proposed revisions to the Care Coverage Outside Regular Office Hours practice standard. Revisions were made to include nurse practitioners (NPs) as members of a call team. The College heard from registrants that there are many benefits of including NPs in the call team, however, there were also some questions raised regarding NPs scope of practice and payment model. Further analysis is now being done by the College.
Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-racism
The College is currently evaluating awareness levels and application of the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, and Anti-racism practice standard among registrants. The College has conducted a survey with registrants, and key health partners, and is now interviewing a smaller subset of registrants to hear specific examples of how the principles and core concepts are being applied in different practice settings to develop additional learning resources.
Ongoing engagement
By the end of 2023, the College will have also engaged on
- A revised Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, and Anti-racism public resource
- A revised Medical Assistance in Dying practice standard
Policy revisions
Virtual Care
The Virtual Care practice standard underwent revisions in June 2023 to clarify the use of PharmaNet, emphasizing that access is permissible only while the practitioner is physically located within BC.
Sale and Dispensing of Drugs
In the same month, the Sale and Dispensing of Drugs practice standard was revised to distinguish expectations for registrants using PharmaNet with a practice ID number versus community access.
Primary Care Provision in Walk-in, Urgent Care and Multi-physician Clinics
The practice standard for Primary Care Provision in Walk-in, Urgent Care, and Multi-physician Clinics was updated in July 2023 to specify principles applicable to registrants in urgent and primary care settings, clarifying their exemptions regarding longitudinal primary care.
New standards and guidelines
Consent to Treatment
The Consent to Treatment practice standard and its accompanying resource, Consent to Treatment - Equity Considerations, were approved and published in April 2023.
rTMS interim guidance
In September 2023, the College introduced new interim guidance on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders in adults. This guidance outlines the College's position on scope of practice, education requirements, and expectations for registrants providing this treatment.
Questions regarding practice standards, professional guidelines and interim guidance documents can be directed to communications@cpsbc.ca.